Cooking and Learning

There are meals when you just have to get it on the table quickly, and that's ok!! When you have a little extra prep time, however, why not turn cooking time into fun and learning time?
Maybe it's the homeschool mom in me, but I love having the kids in the kitchen with me to cook. I am far from a gourmet cook, or even a good cook (the smoke alarm tends to mean that dinner is ready in our house!) , but there is still lots of teaching that I can do in the kitchen.

Menu planning - the obvious opportunity to discuss making healthy food choices; chat about the food pyramid (more info on the "new" food pyramid here: http://www.mypyramid.gov/ ); discuss portion sizes; also a chance to practice drawing out a calendar and utilizing some scheduling and planning skills

Picking out a recipe - some of the above, and lots of reading - great if you can use a book with pictures and words

Prepping - just learning to prepare and have out what you need is a huge lesson!

Cooking - you're working on reading, measuring, learning cooking terms, fine motor skills, safety

Serving the meal - if you're really good (and I am not in this area for sure!) you can almost have an art thing going here with your presentation - how to present in an attractive and visually pleasing way; manners and ettiquette can be taught; even more importantly the art of serving graciously can be demonstrated

Cleaning up - learning how to follow through and finish up a project; health and cleanliness

A website with lots of fun cooking ideas is http://www.cookingwithkids.com . There are a bunch of them out there - just take a little time to search. Also, check out the library - most have quite a few choices for cooking with kiddos.

And like anything else that you do with your children, it will take time, more time than it would for you to throw that meal together, but look at all that they can learn! You may even have a genuine helper on your hands before too long. And hopefully they may also learn to appreciate, at least a tiny bit more, all that you put into the meals that you make for them each and every day!! Here's hoping! :)

SocialSpark

Hi all! It may just be because I am pretty new to this whole blogging thing, but I keep finding things that I'm really excited about, and I just want to share them!!

I have stumbled upon a website, and a program, that connects and supports bloggers, and well, you'll see their stuff all over my blog here because I like what I've seen!

Click here to check it out yourself!
SocialSpark

SocialSpark gives bloggers a chance to connect with each other in a virtual community and marketplace, and also allows them to partner with advertisers in a mutually beneficial way. Bloggers are asked to link to advertisers, or to share their opinions on advertisers' products and services, and in exchange they get paid. One of the things that I really like is that you are not spoonfed what to say about the products and services. You are allowed, and even encouraged to be truthful. I like that! I can make those extra dollars without feeling like I'm "selling out" or tricking anyone.

Now, (so far :)) I'm not getting rich from SocialSpark, but I've made a few dollars during the kiddos' nap times, or when a video is playing happily along. Staying at home with kids, and trying to make it on one income is tricky, and I'm always on the lookout for something to help us out. I've come across some real scams, and a lot of things that weren't quite what they were presented to be, but this one is good. This is a real opportunity, an honest working at home chance, and I'm liking it!

High school homeschoolers

I was reading an article in our HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) magazine this morning about kiddos who were homeschooled through high school, and it was interesting... They interviewed quite a few students who had been homeschooled through high school, and the jist of it was that they all felt prepared academically, but felt unprepared in one or more areas of "real life stuff". This really surprised me! I kind of figured since we're living life out in front of our kids 24/7 they'd "get" more stuff than their regularly schooled counterparts. Hmmm... So another thing to add to my list - am I doing the real life stuff? Checkbook balancing? Car repairs? My list is getting very long!!!

Specialty Shopping

You know me and deals...
Well, here's a link to a site that carries all sorts of stuff for outdoors enthusiasts, as well as military and police. This shop was actually started by LA area police. Anyway, the prices look great, especially for their pants - they call them BDU pants, but I would probably just refer to them as a style of khakis. I haven't yet ordered any, but the prices look excellent, and the return policies seem fair, so why not check 'em out?

Click below:
BDU

A Glimmer

I'm really not a gloom and doom kind of person, but when it comes to my kids I can quickly list off about 50 things that I've done wrong in raising them so far, and they're only 7 and 10! I have so many things that I wish I had done differently, wish I had done, and wish I hadn't done. I worry about how they are going to turn out, and if little things I see now are going to manifest into major issues later. I wonder if homeschooling them is helping or hurting. I just really want to see them turn out okay, and wonder if I'm doing what I'm supposed to as a mom to help that to happen.

All too often I see things that give me cause to ask all those questions. They're squabbling too much. They're not treating their dad and me the way I think they should, at least not all ofthe time. They're this and that. If someone followed me with a figurative clipboard like I do with them at times, I'd hate to see the notes!!

Well, we had a glimmer moment the other day. We had a glimmer of hope, of promise, a glimpse into the good stuff going on inside of their heads and hearts. Yeah!!

The kiddos and I were walking to the little corner store. They had coins jingling in their pockets, and were rattling off all of the candy that they were going to be able to buy with their quarters. Exciting stuff!! The five blocks probably seemed like an eternity to the girls, since they had to slow down for our little foster two year old, but they were troopers, and happily, albeit a little impatiently, they plodded along to the store.

We were one block from the store when we saw a young man with Down syndrome walking towards us. I said hello, the girls smiled, and we kept on going. Then, we heard a noise and turned to see the young man lying in the road. He had tripped in one of upstate New York's famous potholes while crossing the street, and lay with his ankle twisted, looking quite uncomfortable. I saw the girls glance at the store and glance at me. I braced myself for fussing about getting to the store, but went to the young man and helped him to the curb, checking to see if he was okay. We called his mom for a ride, and stayed with him for a little bit to be sure he was okay, and you know what, never once did I hear a peep about getting to the store. No one whined, fussed, or even said a word!! My girls stood with me in helping someone else, and I was able to catch a glimmer. My girls delayed their own gratification for the sake of another, one who was not going to do anything for us in return, and I saw a glimmer. I saw a glimmer of hope and of good, and I was able to exhale. It's sinking in.... Things are going to be okay :).

Quick Energy

Are you a fan of the energy drinks that are so popular right now?

If you've read any of my other posts, you know that I homeschool two kiddos, do foster care for a toddler, answer phones for a home business, help organize our homeschool group, blog blog blog, and just try to keep my head above water, so like energy in just about any safe and legal form! I know that I start my day with Diet Pepsi, and supplement with Mountain Dew through the day, but I'm hearing that there are drinks that give a much bigger BANG of caffeine and other goodies. I'm sure that you've seen them on the store shelves. Well, now even easier than the drinks - there is an energy lollipop!! Here's a clip from their website:

"In today's fast pace world, everyone is looking for a little extra energy. To fulfill this need to keep going, we’ve turned to a wide variety of products in many different forms. MAXXED Energy Pops…the first of its kind, combines a convenient go anywhere product with the nutrients to maintain alertness and reduce fatigue.

MAXXED Energy Pops Are No Ordinary LOLLIPops!
MAXXED Pops are infused with a unique blend of Ginseng, Guarana, Taurine & B-vitamins.
MAXXED Pops are 50% larger than a standard candy lollipop.
MAXXED Pops almost glow neon yellow.
MAXXED Pops have a unique flavor blend, with cream soda notes and hints of lemon lime, making it better tasting than the average energy drink.
The stick on Maxxed Pops is no standard white paper stick. It’s a chic black plastic stick, for maximum hipness when being consumed.
Maxxed Pops require no special handling and can be consumed as the need for energy arises.

Maxxed pops come in a silver composite can with a pop top lid to keep the pops fresh.
Maxxed cans allow for maximum portability and convenience."


To be honest with you, I haven't tried them yet, but I think I'm going to. I definitely could use some extra energy :).

Oh, and I almost forgot - they are running a very cool contest - giving away over 100 prizes, including an Xbox 360 Elite Bundle, $100 Gift Certificate, and a 12-pack of MAXXED Energy Pops. I'd love to get any of those (my husband and kids would love the Xbox bundle for sure!), so if you click on the can below, you can "raise my energy" for this. You can also sign up, even if you don't blog, on the same site for the Keep Going Sweepstakes. Have fun!




MAXXED Energy Pops

Webkinz stuff

Aren't everyone's kids Webkinz crazy right now? Giving away free stuff this weekend at a bunch of locations... Gotta go catch it with my girls :)
http://www.webkinz.com/webkinz_day_2008.html

E mail blog

Ok, so anyone is more blog-literate than me, which would be most people, is going to roll their eyes at this, but I'm all excited because I'm just figuring out how to "mail to blogger", or add to my blog using my e-mail. Let's see if I have it right. Fingers crossed.... I did it - yeah!! Small victories must be celebrated - sometimes they are the only ones in a day :)

Today's work

And I'm off...
It never ceases to amaze me how much stuff can be packed into one day!! I am a "stay at home" mom, but you very rarely find me at home, and if you do, we're either doing school or I'm working on the computer. Today I am off to do some marketing for my husband and father in law's business, HouseCalls Home Inspection Services ( http://www.housecallsonline.net/ ). It's been a tricky time to break into this field in New York, though they have tons of experience. They've been licensed for a few years, and done carpentry and construction forever, but we've only recently really started with the marketing piece. Kind of backwards, but it's been the way life has been... So fingers crossed and a prayer sent up to make some good connections today. Off I go!

Free hair bows - free! :)

Well, I really do like free things, and I found another one - yeah!! I was poking around and found a website all about "making ribbons and bows and other pretties." It's "Girly Things" at http://bowdesigns.50webs.com/ . Now I am not a crafter by any stretch of the imagination, but I have two girls who love making just about anything, and I need all the help I can get in helping them!! So anyway, check it out - it's free instructions on how to make a bunch of different girly things, and you can even turn this into a money maker if you get really good at it!! Me, just to impress my daughters :).

A good path

An article that I just wanted to put out there....

“I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.
But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.”

I first heard this piece by Emily Perl Kingsley when I was going through an orientation at my first job working with people with disabilities. The social worker read it to us, and it grabbed my attention. I was just looking for a summer job between my junior and senior years of college, and the spot in a group home would fit my schedule well. I really had not thought about it much more than that. But this, well, it made it real.

I worked that summer in the group home where nine adults with developmental disabilities lived, and it became more real. I got to know the people behind the diagnoses, beyond the files I had read. I got to “travel in Holland” and see things through the eyes of those who had lived their whole lives in this very different place.
After I graduated from college I came back to the group home, and I worked with the folks there for several years. I eventually got promoted up and left the home, working in coordinating services for individuals living out in the community, but I kept in contact with the residents back at the house for a few more years. One of the men, George, took pictures for me at our wedding, rigged up with a camera operated by his pushing a button with his foot. One of the ladies, Susan, was the one to catch my bouquet; it flew right into her lap as she sat in her wheelchair.

I worked in service coordination for a few years, and became familiar with a lot of different disabilities that I had never heard of before. I became connected to a lot of people, those disabled and their supports, that I probably never would have met without that job. I had a degree in Psychology, but most of my learning happened after school ended.

I have traveled an interesting and varied path since I left that job. In the Service Coordinator position I had come across a huge need for appropriate and accepting child care for kids with disabilities. I took coursework to become a licensed childcare provider, and opened up a small day care in my home. I planned to focus on providing individualized care, especially for children with disabilities, and sent flyers out to all of the local agencies. Nothing. My day care did get up and running, but it was filled with plain old, “regular” children. I was disappointed, but again was educated by the experiences in my life. I learned that rather than viewing disabilities as a cut and dry line that some children fell into and others did not, we all live on a continuum of sorts. We all struggle with with our own set of difficulties, some of which can be easily spotted and identified as disabilities with names such as Down Syndrome, autism, and ADHD, and some which a professional will never categorize or label. We all have strengths and we all have weaknesses.

I am now a homeschooling mom, with two daughters who have stretched, and rewarded, me in ways I never could have imagined before parenthood. As I help them to learn their schoolwork, we also learn together how to live our lives. We learn together how to take the strengths and weaknesses, the abilities and disabilities, that we have been given, and to do our best with them.

We have recently added a foster child into our family, and he has helped us to see how each and every person has so much to offer, regardless of what labels have been applied to them. He has helped us to realize firsthand that even when the journey of life takes us down an entirely path than we had planned, it can be an amazingly wonderful path. Even when the path is not easy, it can be good.

PayPerPost

I am relatively new to this whole blogging thing, but I am beginning to understand why it's so popular. There really is something cathartic about chatting away, without anyone interrupting... It's nice. Also, it's pretty cool that there are opportunities to make a few dollars while I ramble!! I have found a couple of really good websites, one of which is PayPerPost.
get paid to blog
It's a neat idea - giving bloggers the opportunity to share their opinions on products and services out there, and giving business owners a forum for their products and services to be discussed, and just to get their name out there. There are all sorts of blogging opportunities available on their website, www.payperpost.com, and also opportunities to make connections with other bloggers from all around the world. Pretty cool!
The one thing that I have tried to be very upfront about is that I am making every effort to be totally transparent and honest here. If I don't know much about a product or service, I won't rave about how wonderful it is. If I know that something is awful, I won't even go there at all. If it just looks interesting, that's what I'll say, nothing misleading or over the top. This blog is not written primarily to advertise stuff, but for a little sanity break for me. I will, however, gladly do a little side gabbing now and then for sites like PayPerPost :).

Economic Stimulus Check

Anyone doing anything fun with their check that's coming soon? We've got big plans here. :) We moved into our house two years ago and we have one of those old metal swingsets that jumps out of the ground if you swing too high. Fun stuff! :) Well, our kids are 7 and 10, plus our 2 year old foster care kiddo, and play they must, so our stimulus check is going towards building a combination storage shed/play house. Our girls have big plans, including fake rocks mounted on the outside to climb into it, girly stuff inside of it, the works. It seems like all too often we have to say no, so it'll be fun to say yes and do this for them. It may not be the most practical thing we could do, but it will be appreciated and enjoyed for quite some time. The bills will be there next month!!

Help for Mom!

Hey, I keep forgetting to throw these on here - three really great websites I've found with articles posted by moms for moms (I'm a little partial b/c I have some on them :) ).

http://www.typeamom.net/
http://www.momshare.net/
http://www.foodiemama.com/

Be warned - they are addicting - plan on being there a while :)

A great resource for the small business

I came across a really neat idea for the small business owner, well, really any business could use this, but I think it would be ideal for a small, growing business. Check out http://myownsecretary.com/index.html# . It is a business that can do tons of office "stuff" for you, and they present very professionally. Check it out :)

Let's see if this works...

I'm not sure if I'm doing this right, but we'll give it a whirl. There should have been a banner that came up when you opened this blog, talking about the Blogger's Choice Awards. Well, since I'm brand new to this whole blogging deal, I'm not counting on millions of votes, but thought I'd see if I could figure out how to do this at least. Follow the link to check out the site - it lists many many very interesting, funny, all kinds of blogs. Have fun checking them out and casting your vote!

http://www.bloggerschoiceawards.com/?utm_source=SocialSpark&utm_medium=Blog%2BSponsorship&utm_campai

The "Good Book" for free

I was doing a little digging on line and found a neat article that talks about places where you can get Bibles for free. I thought it was a really neat resource for folks who would like to check out what the Bible does have to say but aren't able to spend the money that they do cost at the bookstores and such... I'm cuttting and pasting it here, but the link is also http://christianity.about.com/od/practicaltools/ht/freebible.htm

How To Obtain a Free Bible
From Mary Fairchild,Your Guide to Christianity.FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

At first I thought a better title might be, "How to Get a Free Bible without Stealing it from a Hotel Room." But, I didn't want to offend anyone, especially my Gideon friends. The truth is, the Gideons don't mind if you take those hotel Bibles. They are actually placed there for travelers who might need one. (It's a good idea, however, to ask the hotel for permission before you take the Bible!) So, there's one very easy way to obtain a free copy of the Bible. Here are several more:
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: Varies
Here's How:

Contact a Local Church. One of the easiest ways, and actually the very best way to obtain a free Bible is to call a local church. Most large churches have a surplus of "left behind" Bibles in their lost and found. My church has so many unclaimed Bibles that we ask a local prison outreach to come and distribute them to prisoners. Some churches will even give away a new Bible if you don't have one. Don't be shy! If you truly need a Bible, most Bible teaching churches will be happy to set you up.

Download Free Bible Software. Here are a few options for free Bible software programs to download: • E-SWORD • BiblePro for Windows - Download or request a free CD. • Theophilos Bible Software - Download or request a free CD. • The SWORD Project
Use a Free Online Bible. • BibleGateway.com • CrossWalk.com • BlueLetterBible.org • SearchGodsWord.org

Request a Bible from FreeBibles.net. FreeBibles.net promises to send a new or gently-used Bible to anyone in the U.S. who cannot afford to purchase one. Requests are limited to one per person and one per address, but other than these simple rules, there are no catches! Most ministries will only send a New Testament, or the "free" offer comes with strings attached. Not only does FreeBibles.net send a complete Bible, they also cover shipping and promise not to contact you with any solicitation. They cannot guarantee a specific translation and they only mail Bibles to the needy and imprisoned. • FreeBibles.net

Philippines and Africa Residents. GetYourFreeBible.com promises to send a New Testament Bible in the English, Tagalog of Hiligaynon language to anyone in the Philippines and Africa who cannot afford to purchase one. Requests are limited to one Bible per person. GetYourFreeBible.com will also take requests from small churches or ministries (Philippines & Africa only) who need Bibles for their ministry. And the best part? Absolutely no strings attached! • GetYourFreeBible.com

Sign Up for a Free Bible. Some sites offer free Bibles, but proceed with caution! There may be strings attached: • USA Bibles - Free King James Version • Shop Here Free - Free King James Bible

Contact a Bible Society. If you're looking for a large quantity of Bibles for ministry distribution, consider one of these societies. They offer reasonable pricing for bulk quantities. Obtaining free Bibles may be possible, however, not guaranteed. • International Bible Society • American Bible Society • The Gideons accept requests for Bibles in the following areas of need: hotels & motels; hospitals, nursing homes & domestic violence shelters; schools, colleges & universities; military, law enforcement, firefighters & EMTs; prisons & jails. • Visit UBS Fellowship for a complete list of national societies.

One more really good kiddo resource!

Anyone who knows me well knows that arts and crafts are not a strong point for me, at least not coming up with the ideas.... BUT I just finished teaching an art class that was really fun, and pretty successful I think! :)

The Book Discovering Great Artists, by MaryAnn F. Kohl and Kim Solga, is a book that I just have to brag on. I checked it out of the local library and just gobbled it up. It goes through great artists from the 1200s up through recent days, gives you a snippet to learn and teach about the artist, talks about their style of work, gives you a project in that same "flavor", and even lists out materials to use that most likely are already in your kitchen or closets. There is even a website by the publisher with supplemental materials (http://www.brightring.com/artists.html).
Ok, gotta run and enjoy a non-rainy day, but wanted to throw out that very very good resource for homeschooling, fillling in the blanks for art, or just rainy day fun. Enjoy!

A couple of neat ideas

I came across this today - I'm always looking for creative ways to get my kids to learn, and if it can be easy, that's even better!! This is a set of science fair projects that are already thought out and tested...
Click Here!
and even more science fair projects - Click Here! - where were these things when I was a kid?

and a whole stockpile of "little kids crafts" to keep everyone busy on those rainy Spring days...
Click Here!

I haven't yet ordered them, but they look like they might be worth checking out....

Sleep, money, and other things I used to have....

Argghh! We've got runny noses, sniffles, and coughs tonight, so it's going to be a long night!! Why, when I should be sleeping, do I feel the need to pop on here and vent to the empty screen? There is something calming in sitting here and just rambling.... Maybe it's because, at least for the few moments that I am typing, things are happening in just the way I want them to. I am in control!!! I push the letter "A" and that's what I type. I pause and the keys stop tapping. In the rest of life things are not quite so predictable or controllable, especially when you throw kids into the mix. But, then again, with the chaos and exhaustion comes joy and satisfaction that can't be matched. Sleep will come later. Money, well, enough is there for now. Seasons change. I'd better catch a few ZZZZs in the middle of this one!

Summer Safety

Before we moved, I ran a day care out of our home for quite a few years, nine I think - I've blocked it out :). (Just kidding, they were good years!) I was always so glad to see the warm weather come, but also nervous about all of the "dangers" of being outside so much. You can stress everyone out if you think on all of these things constantly, but it's good to do a quick refresher on summer safety right about now...

Here are a few good websites that I found to get your mind "tuned up" and ready to try to be on the safe side with your kiddos.

http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/sumsafety/

http://www.ynhh.org/pediatrics/prevention/summer_safety.html

http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/news2/summer.safety.list.t.p.k12.html

http://www.poison.org/prevent/plants.asp

and for your pets...

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc_common

It's also not a bad idea to call up your local Red Cross, YMCA, or Continuing Ed. Dept. to see if they are offering a First Aid and CPR class. It is so much less scary (for both you and your child)when your child does get hurt if you have some training as to what to do!

When reading this, you might think that my kids are in bubbles, and that safety is always on the forefront. Well, you don't know me... My kids are probably the dirtiest and most banged up kids on the block, but they're also probably having the most fun. By doing quick safety checks now, and just being alert of all this good stuff, I can relax and let them enjoy, well, making mudpies, climbing trees, and being kids.

Promise of Spring

It's been an unusually warm Spring day here, and it's been wonderful!! People are out raking and cleaning up winter's debris, flowers are poking their heads through the soil - the promise of a fresh start and new life is shining brightly. What a good idea it was to have Spring!!

Foster care and our family

I've heard so many people talk about how hard it must be to do foster care and/or adopt, and I would just smile, sure, I could do it.... how hard could it be? I have two active children already. They'd just blend right in... and then I actually did foster care!

My husband and I went through the state foster care program about a year ago because we were really feeling led to explore adopting, but lacked the funds to go overseas and such. We had heard that if you adopted out of foster care in New York, it was basically free, plus there are sooooo many kids just waiting for homes here that we didn't feel like we had to look any farther. So we took the foster care class, making our intentions of only adopting known from the outset. After we finished the class, the social worker clarified for us that the chances of us being able to adopt anyone under the age of 7 (we were determined to stay younger than our youngest) were very slim. They strongly encouraged us to move into doing foster care, and began calling us with potential matches, some appropriate for our family and some far from anything close to a fit. We resisted, determined to stick with adoption only. Then and only then we were notified that if we did not accept a placement for foster care from this particular agency, we would have to repay the cost of the training we had taken, in excess of $1,000 (never mentioned before!!). Wow. We took a deep breath, thought, prayed, and decided to see what happened next.

Near Christmas we got a call for foster care for a toddler and I got the impression that it might turn into a long term thing, so we agreed to give it our best shot. We added a two year old high energy little boy to our family shortly thereafter. This little boy is amazingly happy and well adjusted, healthy and sweet, really just a cutie pie, and we don't regret saying yes, though we won't know what our future with him is for quite some time.

The part that has been the trickiest is not the caring for and meeting the needs of this new child, but meeting the needs of our biological kiddos. When we thought about it before, talked with others, and even were in our foster parent training, I totally underestimated the impact that adding a new child, whether it be permanently or for a short time, would have on our children. We have dealt with major jealousy, birth order confusion (is that a real thing?), and just outright nastiness. We have tried to use straight talk, consequences, guilt, everything in the arsenal, to curb the problems. We have spent sleepless hours wondering if we are causing irreparable damage to our relationships with our daughters.

The very same children that I just mentioned in the above paragraph have also, sometimes in the very same day, or even the very same hour, shown incredible acceptance, compassion, and kindness. They have displayed a depth of understanding that I didn't realize that they possessed, and have stepped up to help out in ways we've never seen in them before. Those moments make us sleep a little better, and remind us that our children are learning how to truly love, how to love someone who can do nothing at all for them in return. Our children are growing in ways they never could without sharing our home with this little one.

We thought that we would be helping the child who we brought into our home, and hopefully we have, but we have been helped so much more. It has not been an easy road, and most likely will not be, but it is a good one.

"Anyone who takes care of a little child like this is caring for me! And whoever cares for me is caring for God who sent me. Your care for others is the measure of your greatness." Luke 9:48, The Living Bible

Quick and Easy Summer Recipe

I have a picky picky family, and my culinary skills are pretty, well, limited, but this dinner is always a hit. My mom made this whenever we picnicked as kids, and we eat it now pretty much all Spring and Summer long, at least once a week. Quick, easy, healthy, and cheap! Yeah!!

Tuna Macaroni Salad

Boil as much elbow macaroni (or spiral, whatever your family likes) as your family needs, and at the same time boil 4-5 eggs. Drain it off and pop it in the fridge for a bit. Once everything is cooled down, add in 1 can tuna fish, 1 cup mayo (more or less depending on the amout of macaroni you used), your boiled eggs (now chopped up), and a cup of frozen peas. Mix it all up well and enjoy. You've got pleny of protein, your carbs, and your veggies. Pair it up with some fresh fruit and you're all set! The whole meal is maybe $3.oo and everyone's happy! Enjoy!

Psychology stuff

The more I dig into the idea of blogging, the more I like that I can stretch my somewhat atrophied brain :). I do have degrees in Psychology and Early Childhood Education, and though I do use stuff from those classes in homeschooling, parenting, and just living, it is nice to think completely "grown-up" sometimes. So I'm thinking that sometimes my rambling will take that turn. Anyway, I found this clip from a research project that I collaborated on in college, and thought I'd share here (maiden name of Adlhock).... a link to more info is http://65.221.16.189/resourcecenter/resID.246,parentCatID.114/rc_detail.asp

VanWicklin, J., Adlhock, K, & Carpenter, E. (1994). Precrisis and postcrisis seniors: Using identity status as an educational outcome variable. Research on Christian Higher Education, 1(1), 1-28.
Description:
Goal: Examine the factors that contribute to identity development during the college years.
Subjects: 95 Houghton students under age 25, 40% were male. Note: sample had higher SAT scores & high school class ranking than Houghton population
Methods: Demographic questionnaire, LCQ (learning style survey patterned after William Perry’s 1970 cognitive styles), Marcia’s identity interview
Findings:
Houghton 1994 sample of seniors: 63% postcrisis, 37% precrisis
Precrisis seniors are more likely to have major that prepares them for a job (business & education).
Postcrisis seniors more likely to major in social sciences or humanities.
Exposure to different cultures promotes identity dev; the longer, the larger the effect
Postcrisis seniors more likely to have experienced a critical incident.
No gender differences except for occupational identity: more females were foreclosed than males
Precrisis seniors have lower SAT verbal scores. Math scores arn’t related to identity status.
VanWicklin suggests that more can be learned from the 37% who remained in precrisis than from those in postcrisis. We can’t conclude that college fostered their postcrisis development, although we might prefer to believe that it has. But for those who remain in precrisis, some elements of the liberal arts education haven’t been realized.
Need challenge & support: educators need to create dissonance, but then sustain it in a context of rapport
Postcrisis seniors score significantly higher on cognitive style than precrisis seniors. Postcrisis seniors tend to operate at relativism or contextualized relativism (see below); precrisis seniors tend to operate at multiplicity or relativism.
Postcrisis seniors prefer theoretical classes, classes which integrate info across disciplines, integrative essays instead of multiple choice tests, & say that they learn more when sources disagree. They are more likely to consider questions more important than answers.
Although participation in varsity & intramural athletics, cultural activities, student leadership, religious leadership, social service, & political activities did not correlate w identity status, 5 women indicated that one of the greatest factors in their ideological development was their participation in a women’s varsity sport such as soccer, field hockey, or basketball.
Perry’s Cognitive Styles:
Dualism: world is polarized in terms of black & white, views knowledge in the form of absolutes to be received unilaterally from those in authority
Multiplicity: recognizes existence of multiple points of view & conflicting authorities
Relativism: questions the absolute nature of authority & views knowledge as relative
Contexualized Relativism: realizes that all views are not equivalent, commits oneself to specific views based on rational criteria. Also takes more responsibility for interdependent learning & self-selected authorities.
Misc:
2/5 to 2/3 of freshmen enter college & leave four years later identity foreclosed (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991)
In this study 80% of incoming freshmen were diffused or foreclosed
Foreclosed students have high need for social approval, limit their psychosocial commitments to those compatible w earlier identifications.
Marcia used the analogy of glass to describe the foreclosed person: it is rigid strength that shatters if pushed too hard.
If not sufficiently challenged, foreclosure may become permanent.
Type of Data: Identity

A fun freebie

I found a fun site today with free, which is one of my favorite words, free blog themes and blog headers. They also have some paid services available, but even the freebies are really neat. For those of us just starting up on blogging, this looks like a great source of help!

http://easywahmwebsites.com/2008/04/02/blogger-edition-of-flower-fairy-1/

I wish I was this organized!!

I came across a 100-day meal planning kit online today - wow!! I wish I was this organized!
Click Here!
I'm thinking that this would be a great idea to try, but I also think my family would pass out in shock if I had more than 2 complete meals pre-planned in a week, let alone that many in a row! It does look good though... How motivated am I? Hmmm.....

Good reminder

This popped up in our family quiet time the other night - what a timely reminder for all of us...

"Anyone who takes care of a little child like this is caring for me! And whoever cares for me is caring for God who sent me. Your care for others is the measure of your greatness."
Luke 9:48, The Living Bible

And yet....

You know what, in spite of the difficulties of making this crazy family living life together thing work, I'm glad we're doing it. I don't know how long this season will last, so I'm going to grab hold of it and live it well :).

Stay at home mom

I'm wondering tonight, as we try to balance it all here - homeschooling, parenting, living, paying bills... is it really possible to be a stay at home mom? It just seems so impossible to stretch one paycheck around an entire family.....